About Our Exoskeletons

Products that change lives

Our work began at the Human Engineering and Robotics Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Kazerooni, director of the lab, founded Ekso Bionics in 2005 to bring to market the lab's earlier products: Ekso (an exoskeleton exoskeleton for rehabilitation centers formerly called eLegs) and HULC (a load bearing exoskeleton for military applications). Since then, our team has continued the research to develop a set of novel technologies aimed at developing accessible bionic products in three global markets: medical, industrial, and defense. Along the way we have connected with those who can benefit most from our devices and have worked closely with them to develop products that can change lives.

Our medical exoskeleton, Phoenix, can help postpone the onset of secondary health conditions that occur with mobility disorders and provide a better quality of life by promoting independent living. The project began with the goal of enabling a good friend, Austin, to walk the stage during his graduation after an accident left him paralyzed from the waist down. Through years of work and pactice Austin was able to recieve his diploma just like everyone else, standing up. In the time since those memorable steps, numerous research contributors and design iterations have helped to refine the exoskeleton into a device that is affordable, lightweight, and easy to use.

A Decade of Research

Years of experience with medical and military exoskeletons have resulted in technologies that can be applied to tasks common in the industrial workplace. US Bionics researchers have traveled the world to consult with various industries and ergonomists to understand how to utilize exoskeleton technologies to best support workers during stressful tasks without inhibiting them in other ways. For workers, the Modular Agile eXoskeleton (MAX) can be configured to assist the body for a wide range of industrial tasks- reducing muscle stress while increasing productivity. MAX’s versatility is created from a number of modules that can be combined or used independantly; the Trunk Support Exoskeleton (TSE), the Leg Support Exoskeleton (LSE) and the Arm Support Exoskeleton (ASE). MAX and its modules have been evaluated in several shipbuilding facilities, construction sites and delivery services around the world.

Our products are the result of a decade of research intended to enhance the quality of life for workers, soldiers, and persons with mobility disorders. In developing our exoskeletons we have focused our attention on end users. Through deployment of ingenious mechanical designs and intelligent controllers, we have been able to create products that are functional, easy to operate, lightweight, and affordable.